1.9.2026 Tuesday - wake me up when September comes

Still hazy but I still walk to work, the air quality is poor many people are wearing masks. I don't but I think I will tomorrow. I start a few new habits; writing in one of the B5 sketchbook; private things to clear the mind, and to remind myself, trampolining and KB exercises Day 2, some new eating habits. I will do this in September, by the end of the month I should see some difference in myself. 

HP tests the new OKU toilet layout and JY approves, Melvin is full of confidence and aims to finish the resubmission before our trip, Leong tells me he has a potential new project (in a very prime location), I speak to George; his client has paid us. 

On that high note, I tell PH my plans about Lot 49 - he does not catch on immediately but agrees that if we are not treated with professionalism then we should withdraw. So I tell the man to let me know when he can chat, he tells me he is busy and will call me. He does not. So after lunch I text him and tell him we will be withdrawing from the project. He reacts with mild surprise, perhaps this is not an important project because he does not call or text me to discuss. Tomorrow, I will send a formal email and end things with him. 

To continue on the high note, I plan pickleball sessions for us including one on Friday with Eng Hooi. I take 7 things off my list of things to do.

1. PD awnings
2. Lim's kitchen
3. Toorak roof 
4. call Jeff
5. front canopies - do the party walls stick out?
6. Sam's photo for website
7. Victor's testimonial
8. BSC L&E - call Ma
9. check HP's drawings
10. Au's garden walk
11. bring a plant to the office
12. P.1 fees - call CK
13. start the masterplan
14. Theatre submission
15. PH's ex building chart
16. SEDC costing
17. Henry's Revit

31.8.2026 Monday - National Day holiday.

 Kuching is still hazy, so I exercise at home; 3k on the trampoline and 6 sets of KB squat-curl-shoulder press-triceps extension. It is a good home work out. Today, there is a cook-out at No. 40, Marc asked Sam for an opportunity to cook for us before he leaves for university on the 9th of September. We happily consent, I have time for him and also his mom was a former neighbour at No. 40. She was from the 8th house along our row; a large extended Hakka family with many sisters; married and unmarried under one roof. 

Jowie is itching for a game and asks if any of my gang is interested, only Sean is available. The 3 of us have a good workout, I really enjoyed the drills, and the 2-on-1 games. I think Sean enjoyed himself as well. The whole place is packed with players on a public holiday, this is the first time I have seen the corridors packed as well. 

Another first is lunch at the Hunan cafe near Gala; food is good, Sean treats us and I think we will be back. 

Dinner is a full house; our children and their plus-ones and puppies, the Sias (both sets), the Lims, Joan, and her cousins from France plus little Astrid. My tomato sauce is too acidic, I over-cooked it - but the idea of an oven-roasted veg with cooked tomato sauce with a little pasta is a good one. I will trying this recipe again.

His parents think he has a bond with us, normally he does not socialise with adults. Yes, I think we do have a bond with young people; we have time for them.

30.8.2026 Sunday - mind cleared but haze remains

 By the time I come of my morning shower, my problem with a difficult person has been solved. On the way to pickleball, I run through the matter with Sean who thinks that I will be alright. 

my ankles are holding up, and I am playing ok but not a full speed yet.

In the afternoon, we move the fridge into the new kitchen and place the timber step in place. It sounds like a small matter, but quite momentous for Sam who will finally have her larger and airier cooking space. 

In the evening, I take some time to mend Socky; a rabbit sock I made for Sean when he was 6? out of 2 old pairs of socks. So Socky is about 26 years old, he recently had an accident with Pau, so I offered to mend him. I used one sock this time to give him a new head and muff for this neck, re-attached his eyes and ears, and gave him a new nose. We have always assumed that Socky is a boy, but by the end of the 'operation' I realised that I have also re-aligned its gender - and Socky is now a girl.

29.8.2026 Saturday - haze

We play pickleball in the morning, it is not so hazy although by 8 a.m. you can see it creeping in. Freddie joins us today, I have asked him to come back for more. Last night's dinner reminds me that I am fortunate to have all these young people in my midst; their energy and innocence, bright and happy with life. And to top it off they are good friends with each other, Roosh shows up as does RF and Marcus. They have a good time playing UNO, I don't get it but Freddie tells me that when he was that age, that is what they did.

I have a niggling problem which I cannot solve, it stays at the back of my mind and spoils the day. Sam and I have a nice lunch and spend some hours at the office, out of the haze and in the air-cond. 

28.8.2026 Friday - farewell party

 Let's what I got up to yesterday: (15 out of 30 items done, which means that I have to be more efficient or have more hours in the day). 

1. 49 - updated the client about the planning status; took me 15 minutes although it has been worrying me for days.  
2. campus render - Ty tried out using AI, I have asked her to do a proper one. This task is not done, it has been delegated.
3. Library meeting - met the school folks who were pleasantly surprised that we are doing this pro-bono. I thought they had known. In any case, there is a little toilet project to be done; Nicole can help do that.
4. Sim is leaving - we did go the airport after our dinner to send him and SW off to TianJin. Sam says she feels a little sad, I try to feel excited for him.
5. Joseph's Letter of Appointment - I go to the office early to print and sign the letter, and send it to George, who got the client to sign it (but neglected to tell me until I asked at dinner time).
6. get lunch stuff for Friday - Sam help me buy. As she was dropping the groceries off at the office, we were returning from our library meeting, and the Fukadas came by with prawns for the laksa..
7. BSC L&E - call Ma - he gave me an update, which simply means more to do today.
8. MC's RWDP - AI issued.
9. Fiona's minutes - reviewed when I was having my kopi break
10. Au's garden walk - commented, but she is still busy with my stuff so it looks like I am updating the skp.
11. tell Beko to bring a pot back - done. the pot needs to walk to the office for me to cook laksa this afternoon.
12. ask Lau about the Simon's signature - he showed me the forms on Simon's table; I realised that there are several candidates; 2 former chairpersons and a secretary. 
13. ask Aziz about 22 semi-Ds - he was on leave, but Sam and JY sorted things out in a good and efficient way. JY has a philosophical way of seeing it - 'at least they agree to pay'.
14. sports hub - can we submit? Sean told me late in the evening that it has been submitted, Ty helped. Sean is a good mentor in the office.
15. swim today - I did after shelling prawns and a gym workout, when the rain stopped.

I got 2 assurances about a fee payment from the client's office, so that is a nice way to end the day.
Sam and I go for an IZAKAYA dinner, we will go back soon.

27.8.2026 Thursday - a lot on my mind

 I like making long lists, for the pleasure of crossing items out when they are done (or delegated)

1. 49 
2. PD awnings
3. campus render
4. Lim's kitchen
5. Toorak roof 
6. call Jeff
7. Library meeting
8. Sim is leaving
9. front canopies - do the party walls stick out?
10. Joseph's LOA
11. Sam's photo for website
12. get lunch stuff for Friday
13. Victor's testimonial
14. BSC L&E - call Ma
15. MC's RWDP
16. check HP's drawings
17. Fiona's minutes
18. Au's garden walk
19. bring a plant to the office
20. tell Beko to bring a pot back
21. ask Lau about the Simon's signature
22. ask Aziz about 22 semi-Ds
23. P.1 fees - call CK
24. start the masterplan
25. theatre submission
26. sports hub - can we submit?
27. swim today
28. PH's ex building chart
29. SEDC costing
30. Henry's Revit

This is for today - some will take 25 minutes, others less as they are only a phone away (but might generate another series of tasks) - I will update this list tomorrow. 

26.8.2027 Wednesday - office meeting

 We have our first office meeting in 2 months. It sounds like a long time, but things are worked out on a daily basis amongst ourselves. On most days, you will see small groups having a chat in front of someone's screen or a couple of them wandering over to seek my opinion or confirmation. I joke that they often do so just when I am about to leave for my 4pm swim, or make me late for pickleball at 5pm. This morning, we talk about some key deadlines to be met before our trip to KL, Taiping and Penang. For a young team, it is important to also explain why certain decisions are made, it teaches them about our policies, about how we deal with other people and not just about design and implementation. This is good for their personal development. We also discuss the arrangements for our trip and Friday's farewell lunch for JK and Victor. I will miss Victor, he has been a good intern; polite and hardworking, bright and well spoken, works well with his colleagues and participates in office activities. I will write a testimonial for him. (he started his internship on a Friday with an office lunch as well, his mom made him bring some treats to share). 

25.8.2026 Tuesday - Prophet Muhammad's birthday

we have a japanese chef

 Today is a free day, so I split it up into home, work and play. Most days there is work and play but on 'free' days - there is the extra component of home, which for today means the tidying up of some plants to take to the office. It is highly successful as we manage to move a large monstera to the office lobby. I will slowly add to this collection of plants in the coming weeks. 

I finish off the campus presentation, and then we go play p-ball again. I joke to Sam that it has taken 40 years for us to find something that we can play together. It is a nice outing with Daniel and Soh Koon, Derrick and Sally, and Foo. Sean joins us as well.

In the evening, we cook a simple dinner, Yoshi cooks Hamburg Steak and Leong joins us for a chat and something to eat. He asks after June.

24.8.2026 Monday - dinner bouquet

An interesting work day - half the office is away; site, slight illness due to the haze - my request for an office meeting falls through but it is ok, we talk anyway. I worry about fees, but Sam tells me not to. I worry about 49 but Sean finds out that the authorities have given their first comments which gives us something to work on - good news. 
Just as I am about to leave for pickleball, the team wants to chat; I am running late but they have put in the efforts so I listen and offer suggestions and confirmations.  We play, and then rush off to a nice dinner with the Hongs to celebrate Judy's birthday. It is always nice to sit and chat with Kelvin. It is nice to see the two young ones sat next to each other, chatting and distributing to the conversation now and again.

23.8.2026 Sunday - missing the garden

The highlight of the day is the potting of a stray fern from next to the drain; it has been there for 6 months. I moved it from one place, I can't remember where to here. It had been neglected for this whole time, and is still thriving, so I reward it with a home. 

another highlight of the day is the game with our architect friends, we have not played together for 6 months - it is good to see everyone again. let's see if they continue playing every Sunday.

22.8.2026 Saturday - lazy hazy day

 Today marks the 4th or 5th day of waking up early to write in this blog, I like this routine - an fresh recalling and recording of yesterday's thoughts and happenings. Setting up an office in Sean's room is a smart move, I use it to make sketch-books and note-pads from old drawings. Pages of old magazines are used for their covers, they are not very thick  about 20 sheets and can be held together using staplers.

Making things is good therapy; the repeated movements, the familiar results, the sound of the paper when I run a thumbnail along a fold and the satisfying lining up of the straight edges. I found myself doing this while waiting to come on an on-line meeting. While GW and FL were chatting about lobbies and mezzanines I found myself folding the A1 sheet into sketchbook size. 

A1 submission dwgs are folded and cut, folded and cut, and folded to become A4 size

 

the edges are trimmed, the spine is formed by leaving one edge wider to create a 'foldover'

 

21.8.2026 Friday - Physio

Sam takes me to the physio, the one in Sekama - she is young and thorough; she tells me to be careful with my ankles, she tells me not to run for now, she tells me squash is 6 months away. I am not surprised to hear this, and tell her I don't mind not running or playing squash. She tells me to keep up with the swimming and the trampoline, pickleball twice a week is fine - she tells me. 

Sam probably expects me to be disappointed with this news, but no - I expected this. I will use the time to exercise in other ways, and to watch what I eat more closely. I am glad that Sam is playing pickleball now, it is something we can do together.
 

20.8.2026 Thursday - several highlights today

The campus mall is accepted as a concept to develop into the next stage; the two young ones present while FL and I sit and provide support when needed. EJ is pleased, he is excited about the steel framed buildings on a concrete plinth next to a pond. 

The young men continue their good work into lunch so I ask Sean to buy us lunch downstairs; the air is thick with haze. I won't swim today. Laurance shows up for our K2 coordination meeting No. 1, which is good to see. He picks up some engineering issues for the Springvale Hotel - he is a good reference for the young people in the room.

The next highlight is an invitation to play pickleball this Sunday by the architects' group; I find myself accepting quite automatically. I am looking forward to that. And finally, the Fukadas come over for dinner, Jowie is buzzing with travel excitement, and Yoshi has some questions about job applications; Sean helps explain.

My application to be a PAM Fellow is going on smoothly, with JC's help.

19.8.2026 Wednesday - re-visiting Alfred Russell Wallace

 In 2013, Louise* from Friends Of Sarawak Museum approached us with an idea for an exhibition on Alfred Russell Wallace (8 Jan 1823 - 7 Nov 1913), the renowned English naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist and illustrator. Wallace was a contemporary of Charles Darwin, who independently conceived the theory of evolution through natural selection, and the creation of the Wallace Line; a distinct zoogeographical boundary dividing Asian and Australasian species. Notably for us in Borneo, Wallace spent some time in Sarawak (1854-56) where he wrote his seminal paper 'Sarawak Law' about species distribution. 

The former Sarawak Museum building (photo from Wikipedia)

The gallery would be located in one wing of the Sarawak Museum and is intended to be temporary lasting 2 – 3 years, targeting the general public, especially children. Our aim is to explore a different way of exhibiting the artifacts while considering educational intent, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness.

In line of the intrepid character of Wallace's work, we proposed the idea that the exhibition can be a 'traveling' exhibition; relocating from one place to another, and perhaps reaching the smaller towns in Sarawak.

Wallace spent a significant portion of his life in Sarawak and made several important discoveries here. We drew inspiration from Alfred Wallace’s ‘moth nets’ — a device he rigged in the jungle using bedsheets hung like a three-sided room, with a hurricane lamp in the middle to attract insect specimens.

The gallery in the museum is a tall open space. We propose to create a prolonged journey through the exhibition space by constructing a series of rooms using his ‘moth nets.’ The displays will then be printed or mounted on the ‘walls, of these rooms. The walls are hung from a ceiling grid and would have display information printed on them. Underfoot we proposed a layer of crushed fabric that would rustle and shift as visitors move through the rooms, mimicking the leaves in the jungle's undergrowth. 

We prepared some presentation material, made a model and presented it to the relevant authorities who were at the time busy with the construction of the New Borneo Cultures Museum. Without a firm plan, this proposal remained unbuilt; a fortnight of ideas compiled into a refreshing and nifty way to communicate with a younger museum audience. 

Recently, at the international art exhibition between Malaysia and Taiwan titled 'Tanah+Air: Navigating Asianness from Malaysia, (土地與水：從馬來西亞出發探訪亞洲性) I was pleased to see a section on Alfred Wallace.

* Dr Louise M. Macul is a prominent museulogist, widely recognized for her extensive work and research on the Orang Ulu murals.

18.8.2026 Tuesday - another good day

I had something on my mind about the campus mall as I went to sleep last night, so I arrive early to draw some ideas up for Sean and George to follow up with. By the time they arrive, I had fleshed out an scheme for them to carry out; it is so nice to speak to them as a team. Both had thoughts about separate concerns - George about the design and framing, Sean about questions that the client would raise about the feasibility of our scheme when compared to more conventional usage. We make plans to brief the client together on Thursday before George flies home. How I wish I can have them both together at the same place.

I have a break at the kopitiam and speaks to JC; to help me with my fellowship application* and to take over the management of our company website. I then ask a few 'parenting' questions - how is the money situation? lodgings? studies? I end up offering JC our apartment in KL as temporary lodgings until the SHIFT conference when I go there to stay. I sense that the offer is timely and much needed - I feel good for helping and inform Sam. 

GW and I try to defer the landscape presentation tomorrow, but as we chat, we start to frame some questions about the masterplan, and some solutions for them (this often happens). Soon, we have a semblance of a 'conversation' to talk to client during our lunch the next day. How fortunate to have this type of discourse. With a sense of accomplishment, I knock off at 4pm and cycle to the PD gym for a row and weight, finish with a swim before cycling home for dinner.

After dinner, we realised we have just been paid for a part-payment owed since last year. I was upset about the delay at first, and about us not following up closely. But almost immediately, decide that since we did not 'miss' having this sum of money we must have done alright until now. So, this is a windfall, and perhaps I should ring up and thank the client, and remind him to pay the recent claims soon. 

such a lovely letter, and so prompt in his reply; one working day

*I have been invited to apply for the PAM Fellow Membership, and need to submit documentation for review and approval by PAM

17.8.2026 Monday - a good start to the week

I arrive by bike, and get some targets for the day - the first of which is HP and her canopies and screen for the Springvale project. Freddie texts just in time for a coffee and a chat, he thinks that I have got two new projects over the weekend. 'Proposals' - I remind him, but I understands what he means. Opportunities are good ways to retain connections and practice our craft. We use this to train our young ones; Sean and George sit in at our meeting with EJ, who wants a two-storey lifestyle hub next to a university - just the type of project we enjoy doing; in a group and quickly with a short deadline. 

Sam and I have a new strategy for our doubles game; she stays back and drives - I try to attack at the net. It works, we took three games off them.

16.8.2026 Sunday - the Pomodoro Technique

 I have been working at home, sometimes it is harder to concentrate at home than at the office. I get distracted by other tasks or chores for home such as tidying up or cleaning. For example, Sam and I spend the morning from 9 to 11 a.m. cleaning out Sara's bedroom - some of the clothing on racks are Sam's, some of the books are mine, but generally it is most Sara's things collected over the past few years. I can almost track her personal history through her clothes, books and magazines found in the box-shelves in her room. While we are tidying up, I mentally question why Sara has not cleaned up the room herself, or why Sam has not put her own things away. But I decide that it is so that I can do this with her, and see what we have invested in our parenting and although this sounds like a complaint - it is not, I am glad we can recycle some of Sara's things, I will get the watches looked at and return them to Sara and re-use whatever pens and stationery found in the room. Quite timely since I have colonised Sean's room to be a little study. 

Mom comes over at 230 p.m. and we decide that we will stay at No.34 so that it is easier for Shing to collect her after getting Ashley from ballet class. But he got his times mixed up and we had to get everyone over to No. 40 so we can cook dinner for the children, the Fukadas and the Sims. In the car, I complain to Sam but remind myself that I will do less of:

1. complaining
2. making excuses
3. making negative comment
4. criticising
5. gossiping 

This afternoon, while sitting with Mom in the living, I revive an study/work technique I learnt from years ago - picking a task and doing it uninterrupted for 25 minutes. And then having a 5-minute break to get a drink, to set up the next task and then repeat the process. After 4 blocks of 25 minutes, I have a longer break for up to 30 minutes. 

This technique was developed in the 80s by Francesco Cirillo who named it after the tomato shaped egg timer sold in Italy at the time. 

15.8.2026 Saturday - sitting quietly and falling in love

After the early morning pickleball, Sam comes to collect me. Usually on the drive home, we decide where to have breakfast but today we are undecided so we arrive home to eat carrots, tomatoes, cheese and apple with slices of bread washed down with cups of coffee. I have the music on instead of the telly, and both of us potter about the houses doing odd jobs and finishing my tasks until late in the afternoon. Then at 4pm, a message comes inviting us for a game - new friends from pickleball with their wives; a chance to meet other people. One of the wives remember Sam from years ago (30) having worked together on a project. Sam has that special something which people remember; it is a kindness in her personality I think. 

14.8.2026 Friday - taking care of the aged

A rainy morning in Penang, troublesome but we have a task in hand - to meet a potential client about an aged care facility. She was introduced to us by our hospital client; an important referral which I thought we should act on. We arrive early, and depart several hours later after being briefed about the future plans for this facility. It will be a long term plan, they are doing good work so it is for us to patient and contribute instead of thinking about reaping rewards. I think we struck the right chords, she takes us out for lunch before we head off to catch our flight - it is a good outing event if the project does not take shape we have met a person who has invested time and effort planning how to improve the quality and sustainability of aged care in Penang. 

 

14.8.2026 Thursday - Doris, Terry, Grace and Luna

Today will be a long day, made longer by the extra meetings we plan, with people we want to see in different places. 

Doris and I have met twice; the first time was when she crossed the seminar hall to greet me - 'Hi, you must be Min, we are Facebook friends'. And the second time is this morning, she in in Kuching to meet her boyfriend. I invited CY who also knows her from their interactions on the Art Festival in Taiwan. It turns out that she knows SL as well - it is a small world.

Our flight takes us to Penang by 2pm in time for a 4pm meeting, even after waiting for PH's delayed flight. Work is work, there are a few areas that I have to work on still - there were gaps on both sides. But I think it can be sorted within the next week. By dinner time, it has been a long day, and I did not get a chance to talk with Grace. It is lovely to see her little family though hard to imagine when we met her as an intern ten years ago - hardworking but the system fails her, answered for but stuck in a rut (the drummer boy). She kept in touch and over the years we would meet up, hear snippets of news about her milestone, celebrate them with her - we threw a 'wedding party' for her in Kuching complete with tea ceremony at No. 40.

Our hotel room reminds me of line in the Eagles's song 'Hotel California'. - we are able to leave but I want to go back.